Lady s cobbed skikt



UNITE SATES PATEN T OFFICE.

WM. E. MEGINNIS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LADYS CORDED SKIRT.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 5,441, dated February 8, 1848.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that LJVILLIAM E. MncINNIs, of the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Method of Making Ladies Self-Adjusting Skirts, which is described as follows, reference being had to the annexed drawings of the same, making part of this specification.

Figure 1, represents a specimen of skirting, made with twisted manila thread, in which the fibers of the alternate threads or cords are twisted in contrary directions to prevent kinking. Fig. 2, is a specimen of thread composed of two strands differently twistedthat is'to saythe fibers of one being twisted to the right and the other to the left, laid together and wrapped. Fig. 3, is a specimen of thread or cord, in which right and left twisted strands are themselves twisted together, and wrapped with silk or other thread. Fig. 4., is a specimen of thread or cord, in which the fibers are laid in straight parallel lines, and wrapped.

My improvement is designed to remove the objections to the use of the fabric manufactured and patented by D. Hough, in June, 1846, arising principally from its kinking and deranging the dress of the wearer-and to the fabric patented by S. Folsom in December, 1846-which is liable to the,same objection.

The sissal or manila hemp in the Hough fabric, is twisted in one direction to form the thread or cord, and not wrapped with any material to hold the fibers or strands together, depending altogether upon its twist, and being interwoven with the cotton, or other material of which the skirting is made, in horizontal parallel lines to give it elasticity, will, when made into a skirt, form a series of horizontal circles, each circle having a tendency to kink in the direction of the twist horizontally. The Folsom fabric, which is composed of thread twisted in the same manner, but arranged diflerently being in zig-zag, serpentine, and other lines will have a tendency to, and in fact will, kink vertically, obliquely, and horizontally, and extend the dress upward, when the wearer is seated, giving itthe appearance of a number of inflated bags.

My improvement consists in twisting strands of manila, hair, or other elastic substance, used to form the thread, in contrary directions, and wrapping the same with a thread of cotton, silk, or other suitable material, to bind the fibersof manila,'or hair, together, as represented at A, B, Fig. 1, and then weaving the manila, or hair strands, or thread into the cotton, linen, or other article of which the skirt is made, in parallel lines, in alternate order that is to say, first a thread A twisted to the right, then parallel to this at the required distance apart, a thread B, that has been twisted to the left,then another twisted to the right, and so on, as shown in Fig. 1. This fabricl being formed into a skirt, will not be liable to kink, because the tendency to kink in one 3 direction caused by the right twist A, in one of the circles of thread or cord will be counteracted by the exertion to kink in the opposite direction by the left twist B in the next parallel circle. The elasticity of the skirt (vertically) is produced by the warp of the clot-h.

I sometimes form the thread in a manner to do away with its tendency to kink, by taking a right and left twisted thread and laying these two together, and wrapping them in the manner above described. The twist of one strand will then counteract the twist in the other in the tendency to kink, as represented in Fig. 2. This description of thread is woven into the cloth in parallel lines in the same manner as above described with-Fig. l. Manila hemp being short necessarily requires to be twisted, or spun together, and will not retain its twist well without being wrapped with a thread, or confined by other similar means. I likewise take a right and left twisted thread and twist these two together, which will produce an equilibrium of twist by itself and thus prevent kinking-the effort of one thread to kink is one direction being counteracted or balanced by the effort of the other thread to kink in an opposite direction as shown in Fig. 3. The two threads thus twisted, may be wrapped (or left unwrapped) as preferred.

I sometimes make the skirting of thread composed of fibers laid parallel, and Wrapped, as shown in Fig. 4. Skirting made in the manner above described of thread, twisted in opposite directions and interwoven with the cloth, is far superior to any other ever made, and will retain its desired position, and when pressed upon, will as soon as the pressure is removed resume its former position, and when deranged by the wearer sitting down will return to its required position on rising and when Wet, or Washed, Will not lose its elasticity and proper shape.

I do not claim to be the original inventor of interweaving manila, hair, or other elastic material into, or combining with the cloth of which skirting is composed, but 7 What Ido claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the before described method of making ladies self adjusting skirts, is

Interweaving in alternate order threads or cords of manila or other elastic material, twisted in opposite directions, With the cloth of Which the skirt is composed, in al- 

